Lamp mounting for instrument boards



March 24, 1931. A. URFER 1,798,049

bAMP MOUNTING FOR INSTRUMENT BOARDS Filed March 26, 1929 NYSE m y aw Patented Mar. 24, 1931 (UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" Anonruarnn'or naooxmm, new YORK, assrenoa 'ro PIONEER nvs'rnummv'r comrm, moonronarnn, or nnooxmm, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW Yonx LAKE "MOUNTLNG FOB INSTRUMENT BOARDS I Application-filed larch 26, 1929. Serial No. 349,845.

' This invention relates to means for mounting an electric lam upon an instrument board or other panel an more particularly, to such means as facilitates access to a lamp normally positioned to the rear of apanel. It is customary to mount lamps to the rear of an instrument board or other panel and thereby Obtain indirect illumination of instrument dials. Anyone who has attempted to replace. a lamp behind a darkened instrument board,

which'might or might not have been almostinaccessible, will readily appreciate how vexatious the operation usually is. It is among the objects of my invention to provide a lamp mounting and associated features which will facilitate the removal Of a lam from the rear of an instrument board, by ena ling the lamp and its socket to be drawn to the front of the instrument board where it may be observed and easily handled.

Other objects and uses of the invention. Wlll appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts described and claimed hereinafter. v

In the drawings, Fig.1 illustrates a side view of my preferred form of lamp mounting with the lamp and socket in normal position. I

Fig. 2 is a view taken from the top of F g. 1 with the lamp held in a position accessible from the front of the instrument board.

Referring particularl I designates a panel suc' as constitutes the instrument board used on automobiles, and aircraft, and which ma found wherever instruments are mounte to be observed. The lamp 11, which is normally in a position to the rear of the panel 10, Fig. 1, is carried by socket member 12 which has a bayonet lug arrangement 13 for holding the lamp in its socket. This socket member 12 may be of any usual construction. A bracket 14 firmly affixed to the socket member 12 has a air of aligned holes which are engaged by a ar 15. Bar 15 constitutes the supporting means for the socket member 12 and provision is made for mounting the'bar to the rear of the panel 10. In one of the applications of the invention I have found it convenient to secure a to the drawings, 10

plate 16 to the front end of the bar 15 and make this plate secure to the panel 10 by fastening it thereto with a stud and nut connection 17 which assists in holding an instrument- 18 in its regular position.

The relation of bracket 14 to the bar 15 is a sliding oneand socket-member 12 could move freely in a direction parallel with bar 15 if it were-not for some such resilient means as spring 19. I

This spring 19 is conveniently mounted upon bar 15 between bracket 14 and plate 16 and italways urges the socket member to its .normal position, Fig. 1. Accordingly, the

lamp is heldfirmly in its normal posjion.

Socket member 12 is maintained in its nor-r mal position by the coaction of the spring.

and its restraining influence in the form of a cap 20, which bears against the front surface of panel 10, and a bail 21 connected both with the cap and socket member. The connection between bail 21 and socket member 12 is.

preferably "a pivotal one so that after the socket member, and lamp have been drawn forward, the cap and bail may be swung to a side position, Fig. 2. a

In this position bail 21 may be contacted with the edge of aperture 22 in panel 10 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 and made to serve the'purpose of a lever whereby the holding of the socket member against the compression force of spring 19 is facilitated. It will be readily appreciated that when the lamp socket is held in its most forward position it is an easy matter to remove and replace lamp 11. v t is contemplated that the parts just de scribed or equlvalent parts, be so arranged or be of such dimensions as to suit the particular requirements. As shown in the particular installation illustrated in the draw ings, it was desirable to have the filament of the lamp at a certain position in close proximity of the rear surface of the panel when the lamp would be in normal position. Accordingly, for this arrangement a portion of the lamp must extend beyond the panel a lamp socket member, means for mounting surface of panel lO. A rivet having a sloppy fit serves the purpose very well. It is important, particularly for aircraft instrument boards, that there be no light escaping from the rear of the instrument board, and it will be found that the form of my invention described herein Will admirably fulfill this desirable requirement.

- I claim:

1. In combination with an apertured panel,

said lamp socket member to the rear of the panel in the vicinity of the aperture in the panel, and means whereby said lamp socket member may be drawn toward the aperture for making a lamp carried thereby accessible through the aperture.

2. In combination with an apertured panel, a lamp socket member, a bar carried by the panel, means for movably mounting said socket member in relation to said bar, and means associated with said socketmember and extending through an aperture in the i panel whereby said socket member may be 'moved in relation to said bar.

3. In combination with an apertured panel, a lamp socket member, means for mounting said lamp socket member to the rear of the panel in the vicinity of the aperture in the panel, and manipulative means comprising a pivotal member associated with said'socket member and extending through an aperture in the panel. i

- .4. In combination with an apertured panel,

a lamp socket member, a bar' carried by the panel in the vicinity of the aperture in the panel, a sliding connection between said socketmember and bar, a bail connected with said socket member and extending through said aperture. a cap mounted on the bail for covering said aperture when said lamp socket is in its normal position rearward of the panel, and resilient means tending to main- I tain the cap in position over the aperture and the socket member in its normal position.

7 In combination with an apertured panel, a lamp socket member, means carried by the panel and supportin said lamp socket member, said means ena ling movement of the member through the a erture of the panel, resilient means normal y acting to mamtain the socket member on one side of the parish and manipulative means associated with sai lamp socket member whereby said member may be moved, at will, through said aperture against the action of said resilient means,

said manipulative means comprising an eleinent adapted to cover the aperture when the lamp socket is in its normal position as main: tamed by saidresllient means.

In testimony whereof 'I hereto afiix signature.

warns; I

panel, resilient means urging said socket member to a normal position at the rear of the panel, and means associated with said socket member and with the panel and main taining the socket member in its normal position against the action of said resilient means.

5. In combination with an apertured panel,

a lamp socket member, means for mounting said lamp socket member to'the rear of the. panel in the vicinity of the aperture inthe panel, resilient means urging said socket member to a normal position at the rear of the panel, manipulative means associated with said socket member whereby the socket member may be drawn toward the aperture and.

the lamp in the socket made accessible throu h said aperture.

6. 1 h combination with an apertured panel, a lamp socket member, a bar carried by the 

